US5180013A - Method for in situ removal of a spilled fluid from soil - Google Patents
Method for in situ removal of a spilled fluid from soil Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US5180013A US5180013A US07/758,137 US75813791A US5180013A US 5180013 A US5180013 A US 5180013A US 75813791 A US75813791 A US 75813791A US 5180013 A US5180013 A US 5180013A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- fluid
- water
- zone
- bore
- tube
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 399
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 42
- 239000002689 soil Substances 0.000 title claims description 29
- 238000011065 in-situ storage Methods 0.000 title description 5
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 159
- 239000003673 groundwater Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 53
- 238000000605 extraction Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 15
- 230000005484 gravity Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 230000000149 penetrating effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 claims description 21
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000000284 extract Substances 0.000 abstract description 3
- 238000005086 pumping Methods 0.000 description 39
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 description 35
- 239000003921 oil Substances 0.000 description 9
- 239000004576 sand Substances 0.000 description 7
- 238000011109 contamination Methods 0.000 description 6
- 238000012360 testing method Methods 0.000 description 5
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000000994 depressogenic effect Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000013459 approach Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000002474 experimental method Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000002955 isolation Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000013508 migration Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000005012 migration Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000011148 porous material Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 description 3
- 241000237858 Gastropoda Species 0.000 description 2
- XEEYBQQBJWHFJM-UHFFFAOYSA-N Iron Chemical compound [Fe] XEEYBQQBJWHFJM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000009826 distribution Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000005755 formation reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000014759 maintenance of location Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000003209 petroleum derivative Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000001105 regulatory effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 229920006395 saturated elastomer Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 230000007480 spreading Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000003892 spreading Methods 0.000 description 2
- 229920005372 Plexiglas® Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000009825 accumulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002411 adverse Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003570 air Substances 0.000 description 1
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000004927 clay Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000356 contaminant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001186 cumulative effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000013461 design Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011161 development Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002283 diesel fuel Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002708 enhancing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011156 evaluation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000003502 gasoline Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000002706 hydrostatic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052742 iron Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000009533 lab test Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000813 microbial effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000035699 permeability Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003208 petroleum Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004926 polymethyl methacrylate Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009877 rendering Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000630 rising effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002904 solvent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004094 surface-active agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000007 visual effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009736 wetting Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B09—DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE; RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL
- B09C—RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL
- B09C1/00—Reclamation of contaminated soil
- B09C1/002—Reclamation of contaminated soil involving in-situ ground water treatment
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B09—DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE; RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL
- B09C—RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL
- B09C1/00—Reclamation of contaminated soil
- B09C1/005—Extraction of vapours or gases using vacuum or venting
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B09—DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE; RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL
- B09C—RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL
- B09C1/00—Reclamation of contaminated soil
- B09C1/02—Extraction using liquids, e.g. washing, leaching, flotation
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/12—Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells
- E21B43/121—Lifting well fluids
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/14—Obtaining from a multiple-zone well
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/295—Gasification of minerals, e.g. for producing mixtures of combustible gases
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/32—Preventing gas- or water-coning phenomena, i.e. the formation of a conical column of gas or water around wells
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B09—DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE; RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL
- B09C—RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL
- B09C2101/00—In situ
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
- C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
- C02F2103/00—Nature of the water, waste water, sewage or sludge to be treated
- C02F2103/06—Contaminated groundwater or leachate
Definitions
- This invention relates to a method for in situ removal of a spilled, immiscible fluid from soil contaminated with the fluid and in particular for removal of the fluid by pumping.
- Various methods for cleaning up sites contaminated with immiscible fluids include partial, in situ removal of the fluid from the soil subsurface.
- Current methods include boring a well into the subsurface and either recovering a fraction of the spilled fluid by skimming, or pumping groundwater out from below the spilled fluid to cause some portion of the fluid to collect in previously uncontaminated regions and then pumping the fluid out.
- the fluid is intercepted in a trench or drain constructed at a level below the spilled fluid.
- Natural reservoirs are under pressure, relatively impermeable at their boundary, and typically contain dissolved gases, all of which tend to induce flow of petroleum product from the reservoir.
- a fluid spill there is no natural inducement or driving force causing flow of fluid from the subsurface.
- the driving forces which facilitate flow from a natural reservoir are simply not present to facilitate cleaning up a contaminated spill.
- Some production techniques simply include separately removing water in a relatively uncontrolled manner primarily to prevent mixing of water into the oil product and not to prevent migration of either oil or water during production.
- fluid and “spilled fluid” as used herein refer to a fluid which is immiscible with, and lighter than, water.
- the spilled fluid occupies a fluid zone overlying and displacing groundwater.
- the spilled fluid produces an air/fluid interface at a top surface of the spilled fluid and a fluid/water interface at a lower surface of the spilled fluid.
- the underlying groundwater occupies a groundwater zone displaced downward relative to the unstressed water table.
- the method is based upon a new understanding of the flow processes of immiscible fluids, the capillary properties of soil, the density of the spilled fluid and the thickness of the layer of fluid entrained in soil.
- the method of the invention includes, first, penetrating through the fluid zone and at least partially through the groundwater zone to provide a bore in communication therewith. Then, at suitable intervals, an amount of fluid is extracted from the fluid zone through the bore at a rate selected to maintain contact between at least a portion of the fluid being extracted through the bore and at least a portion of the fluid remaining in the fluid zone. In addition, at suitable intervals, an amount of water from the groundwater zone is separately extracted through the bore to produce a head of fluid above the fluid/water interface adjacent the bore sufficient to cause gravity drainage of the fluid from the fluid zone in a direction generally toward the bore. Meanwhile, a major portion of the fluid/water interface and any unstressed portions of the water table are maintained at levels closely adjacent the levels occupied prior to commencing any extraction of the fluid and the water to prevent further spread of the fluid.
- the driving force for fluid recovery is caused by the weight of the fluid column above the groundwater displaced by the spilled fluid.
- the method causes a head of fluid in the fluid zone above the fluid/water interface. This head is sufficient to cause gravity drainage of the fluid toward the well bore for removal through the bore.
- the method provides for controlled removal of fluid to prevent displaced water, which is under stress, from rising as fluid is removed from the well.
- the tendency of a flow potential to cause both water and fluid to flow from the surrounding medium into the well is thus overcome.
- the method compensates for the fact that the rates of the flow of water and fluid are inversely related to their viscosities, the groundwater tending to replace the more viscous fluid being removed from the well, and prevents isolating the fluid from recovery.
- the fluid recovery rate is controlled to maximize fluid extraction while maintaining a slug of fluid in the well and thereby maintaining continuity between the slug of fluid and any remaining fluid in the fluid zone.
- the fluid/water interface is maintained at a level near its pre-extraction position.
- a combination well is used to practice the method of the invention and basically consists of two preferably concentric tubes, an inside tube, and a shallower larger diameter outside tube.
- the tubes define an annular space therebetween.
- the tubes are disposed in a well bore and hydraulically isolated from one another by sealing means to prevent mixing of fluid and water carried in the respective tubes.
- Each tube has one end in the subsurface, open to the surrounding soil through perforated, slotted sections.
- the outside tube is opened to the fluid zone in the soil.
- the inside tube is opened to the groundwater zone below the outside tube.
- a suction means in the outside tube extracts or removes the fluid from the fluid zone, while another suction means in the inside tube extracts or removes groundwater adjacent the tube and from below the fluid zone layer to maintain the fluid/water interface and any unstressed portions of the water table at about the pre-extraction position, while enhancing the flow of the fluid into the outside tube.
- the step of extracting the fluid by suction means includes exerting suction at a top surface of the fluid in the bore
- the step of extracting the water by suction means includes exerting suction at a location below the top surface of the water and sufficiently spaced from the fluid/water interface to minimize mixing of fluid into the water.
- the suction means is a pump with respective suction and discharge ends.
- level adjustment means senses movement of the fluid/water interface and adjusts the suction end of one pump to a position below the fluid/water interface.
- a head or column of fluid is regulated by a sensor or transducer which floats on the fluid/water interface and is set to provide a head or height of fluid above the interface in the bore to provide continuity of fluid in the bore with fluid in the surrounding soil of the fluid zone.
- one or more additional level adjustment and control means automatically control the interval and/or rate of groundwater extraction to maintain the depressed fluid/water interface at about its pre-pumped position and adjust the suction end of the water pump to a level below the fluid/water interface.
- the method provides the driving forces needed to induce flow of a spilled fluid toward the well bore for subsequent removal without such driving forces causing undesired side effects such as spread of the contamination plume, adverse effect on area water systems and the like.
- FIG. 1 is a laboratory model simulating typical subsurface soil and groundwater conditions.
- FIG. 2 is a diagram showing subsurface zones produced by the spill of a fluid.
- FIG. 3 is a schematic view, partially in section, of the apparatus of the invention and showing the arrangement of the apparatus in the subsurface.
- FIG. 4 is the lab model of FIG. 1 and including the apparatus of FIG. 3.
- FIG. 5 is a chart showing reduction in the fluid zone and movement of air/fluid and fluid/water interfaces as fluid is removed from the subsurface.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a laboratory model 100 constructed to simulate actual field conditions existing at a spill site. Soil samples from a field site were used to construct the laboratory model as shown in FIG. 1.
- fluid and “spilled fluid” as used herein refer to a fluid which is immiscible in, and lighter than, water.
- the contaminated soil is illustrated by cross-hatching.
- This contaminated zone referred to herein as a "fluid zone” may be thought of as having three distinct regions (FIG. 2): a) free fluid region; b) region of fringe or capillary held fluid; and c) region of residual or pendular held fluid.
- FIG. 2 A diagram of the various regions is shown in FIG. 2.
- the soil In the free fluid region, the soil is about 80 percent saturated with fluid which has depressed the water table and is induced to flow under a head.
- the fluid in the capillary held region is induced to flow, provided sufficient height of fluid (head) is created. Some portion of the capillary held fluid may thus also be induced to flow.
- the method of the invention is based upon new understanding of the three regions and of the fluid and water distribution, retention and flow properties. Basically, the method involves the removal of free fluid from a well 10 at a rate that maintains a slug of fluid in the well which is continuous with the free fluid region in the adjacent porous subsurface. As the fluid/water interface in the well starts to rise when fluid is removed from the well, water is extracted from the groundwater zone at a rate only sufficient to maintain the fluid/water interface in the well and subsurface at about its original position. While this approach creates a zone of influence or a gradient for the fluid flow to the well, it also restricts the development of a deep-drawdown cone and the further vertical spread of the spilled fluid.
- One or more monitoring wells are used to detect the levels of fluid, water and the fluid/water interface (FIGS. 1 and 4).
- the invention provides a method for extracting a spilled fluid from soil, the fluid being immiscible with, and lighter than, water, occupying a fluid zone overlying groundwater, and producing air/fluid and fluid/water interfaces, with the underlying water occupying a groundwater zone displaced downward relative to an unstressed water table.
- the invention comprises, first, penetrating through the fluid zone and at least partially through the groundwater zone to provide a bore in communication therewith. Then, at suitable intervals, an amount of fluid is extracted from the fluid zone through the bore, at a rate selected to maintain contact between at least a portion of the fluid being extracted through the bore and at least a portion of the fluid remaining in the fluid zone.
- an amount of water from the groundwater zone is separately extracted through the bore to produce a head of fluid above the fluid/water interface adjacent the bore sufficient to cause gravity drainage of the fluid from the fluid zone in a direction generally toward the bore. Meanwhile, a major portion of the fluid/water interface and any unstressed portions of the water table are maintained at levels closely adjacent the levels occupied prior to commencing any extraction of the fluid and the water, to prevent further spread of the fluid.
- the fluid recovery rate is controlled to maximize fluid extraction while maintaining a slug of fluid in the well so as to maintain continuity between the slug of fluid and any remaining fluid in the fluid zone in the subsurface.
- the fluid/water interface is maintained at a level near its pre-extraction position.
- the performance of the method was evaluated in the laboratory (FIGS. 1 and 4) by simulating actual field conditions. It was also evaluated on a confidential and restricted basis at a field site, using a combination well 10, as described below.
- the combination well 10 used to practice the method of the invention, basically consists of two preferably concentric tubes, an inside tube 14 and a shallower larger diameter outside tube 18 (FIG. 3).
- the tubes 14, 18 define an annular space 20 therebetween.
- the tubes 14, 18 are disposed in a well bore 22 and hydraulically isolated from one another by sealing means 24 to prevent mixing of fluid and water carried in the respective tubes.
- Each tube 14, 18 has, respectively, one distal end 26, 30 in the subsurface and open to the surrounding soil through perforated or slotted sections 34 of tube 14 and 38 of tube 18.
- the perforated sections 34, 38 each preferably consist of parallel 0.01 inch slots 42.
- each suction means 46 is a pump 47 with tubing 48 extending therefrom with a suction end 54.
- suction means 50 is a pump 51 with tubing 52 extending therefrom with a suction end 58 (FIGS. 3 and 4).
- the step of extracting the fluid by pumping includes exerting suction or a partial vacuum adjacent a top surface of the fluid in the bore
- the step of extracting the water by pumping includes exerting suction or a partial vacuum at a location below the top surface of the water and sufficiently spaced from the fluid/water interface to minimize mixing of fluid and water.
- first level adjustment means 60 causes suction end 54 of suction means 46 in tube 18 to remain at a level at or just below the air/fluid interface in the annular space 20.
- adjustment means 60 is carried on tube 48 adjacent end 54 of tube 48.
- a second level adjustment means 62 is used to sense movement of the fluid/water interface in the bore 22 and to adjust the suction end 58 of suction means 50 in tube 14 to a position below the fluid/water interface.
- adjustment means 62 is carried on tube 52 adjacent end 58 of tube 52.
- the head or column of fluid is regulated by a sensor 66 which is a transducer which floats on the fluid/water interface and is set to regulate pumping of fluid to provide a head or height of fluid above the interface in the bore 22, to thereby maintain continuity of fluid in the bore 22 with fluid in the surrounding soil of the fluid zone.
- a sensor 66 which is a transducer which floats on the fluid/water interface and is set to regulate pumping of fluid to provide a head or height of fluid above the interface in the bore 22, to thereby maintain continuity of fluid in the bore 22 with fluid in the surrounding soil of the fluid zone.
- control means 67 regulates the cycle and/or rate of water pumping to maintain the depressed fluid/water interface at about its pre-pump position.
- Control means 67 may be located in a monitoring well (MW) adjacent the combination recovery well 10.
- a laboratory model 100 was made of Plexiglas and supported from the outside by an iron frame and an aluminum base.
- the model was 5.91 feet long, 4.59 feet high and 0.33 feet wide.
- the model was packed with clean sand 102 that was air-dried and sieved through a 0.02 inch standard mesh to represent sandy material found at field sites.
- the sand was poured into the model in increments of 0.33 inch thick layers, and each new layer was mixed with the previous layer by using an electric blender equipped with an extended shaft.
- the sand medium in the model aquifer was 5.51 feet long, 4.17 feet high and 0.33 feet wide.
- One face of the model aquifer was instrumented with 26 tensiometers (not shown) for measuring water and fluid pressures in the porous subsurface medium.
- On each end of the sandy medium 102 was a 2.36 inch wide boundary reservoir 106, 108.
- These two reservoirs 106, 108 were connected at the base by a 0.49 inch ID tube (not shown) which was used to maintain constant head conditions on the sides of the medium 102.
- the initial water table was maintained between 29.53 and 33.46 inches (75 and 85 cm) above the base of the model aquifer, and the capillary fringe extended about 7.87 inches (20 cm) above the water table.
- FIG. 1 Three 1.0 inch ID monitoring wells (MW1, MW2 and MW3) were installed through the medium 102, and their locations are shown in FIG. 1. These wells were first machined into longitudinal halves, and the rectangular side of each half tube was attached to the inside surface of the Plexiglas-model aquifer. By this design, it was possible to visually observe the thickness of fluids in the monitoring wells (MW1, MW2, MW3).
- the porosity of the medium was about 0.40, and the particle density was 2.55 g/mL.
- Groundwater flow was maintained at 0.061 inch 3 /min (1 mL/min) in the direction shown in FIG. 1. This resulted in an average linear pore-water velocity of 0.078 inch/min.
- a total of 3.04 gallons (11.5L) of fluid was leaked to the surface of the sand, at the location shown in FIG. 1, at an average rate of 0.392 gallons/day for 7.75 days.
- the fluid used in this example was oil with a viscosity of about 7 centistokes at 100° C.
- the fluid spread laterally and vertically through the unsaturated region and the capillary fringe, and it subsequently developed a layer of free fluid in the capillary fringe.
- the fluid/water interface was displaced progressively deeper into the groundwater zone. During this vertical displacement, the fluid was also spreading laterally through the capillary fringe.
- Level adjustment means 60 comprised a ping-pong ball through which tube 48 extended such that the suction end 54 was exerted at just below the air/fluid interface in the bore 22.
- the rate of fluid removal was controlled to maintain a slug or column of fluid in the well bore 22.
- the lower one inch section of the water-recovery tube 48 was screened to ascertain that water was pumped from the base of the bore 22.
- the water pumping rate was gradually increased over the first five days of fluid recovery, after which the rate was kept at about 350 mL/min (0.092 gallons/min) to maintain the fluid/water interface at approximately 1.80 feet above the base of the model aquifer. This level approximated the pre-pumped position of the fluid/water interface in the medium at monitoring well MW2 of FIG. 1.
- the water that was pumped from the recovery well was returned to one boundary well, which was directly connected to the boundary well at the opposite end of the model, to maintain the same constant head condition at both ends of the model aquifer.
- Make-up water was also added to the boundary well to account for evaporative losses and for any water removed with the fluid by the fluid-recovery pump.
- the fluid-recovery system was stopped after 31 days of pumping because, at that time, more than 99.9 percent of the fluid being pumped from the fluid-recovery tube was water.
- Results from MW2 are presented in FIG. 5, which shows an initial drop in the fluid/water interface as pumping started, after which the interface was maintained at an almost constant level of about 1.80 feet above the base of the model aquifer for the next 19 days. Then, the interface rose to 2.03 feet, where it remained until the end of the study. The sudden rise in the interface occurred after standing fluid in the monitoring well was pumped out. The standing fluid in the monitoring wells was removed at least once every week to ascertain that the fluid in each monitoring well was hydraulically connected to fluid in the medium. After the fluid was removed on day 22, it recovered only slightly, indicating that the free fluid was already pumped out.
- Each system included a combination recovery well 10 (FIG. 3) in a bore 22 and a monitoring well MW, located within a radius of 10 feet of the combination well 10.
- Each combination well 10 included two concentric tubes 14, 18 with respective pneumatic pumps: a fluid recovery pump 47 and a groundwater pump 51. Uncontaminated sand 130 was packed between the peripheral surface of the bore 22 and the outside of the tubes 14, 18.
- the sand 130 was capped with clay 134 and then concrete 138 and capped with a cover 142. Fluid or water pumping at each recovery location was independently and automatically controlled to maintain preselected pumping conditions.
- the data acquired from the five recovery systems revealed trends essentially identical to the trends described above for the lab model in Example 1.
- the outer tube 18 was opened to the subsurface medium from two feet above the position of the unstressed water table to four feet below the water table (through the free fluid region), while the inner tube 14 was opened to the next two feet of the groundwater zone below the outer tube 18.
- the pump 47 in the outer tube 18 recovered fluid from just below the air/fluid interface, while the pump 51 in the inner tube 14 pumped groundwater from below the fluid/water interface. Pumping conditions were modified to maintain the fluid/water interface at its pre-pumping position and to maintain continuity of the fluid in the fluid zone of the medium with the fluid column in the recovery well 10.
- the on/off cycles of the pumps 47, 51 were automatically controlled by presetting their refill and discharge times.
- the on/off cycle of the water pump 51 was controlled by a down-well bubbler control 67.
- a two inch ID monitoring well MW was installed within 10 feet of each combination well 10 to provide information on the response of the fluid/water interface and on fluid thickness adjacent to the combination well 10 during pumping.
- the system was frequently monitored and the pumping rates of fluid and water adjusted to establish the maximum fluid-pumping rate, to maintain a slug of fluid in the fluid recovery tube 18, and to maintain the fluid/water interface in the groundwater zone at its pre-pumped position. Subsequently, as understanding of the system response improved and that response became more predictable, the monitoring interval was increased to one week, then to two weeks, and then to one month, and finally to bimonthly.
- both the vertical and horizontal extent of the contamination plume was significantly reduced.
- the thickness of fluid in the recovery well was very small. At this stage of the recovery process, not only was fluid from the free-fluid region pumped out, but also fluid from the fluid fringe region was being drained and recovered. When the thickness of the free fluid region of the contaminated fluid zone reached zero, the fluid thickness in the monitoring well MW was determined only by capillary forces and fluid densities.
- H c thickness of the fluid capillary fringe
- H w thickness of the fluid column in the well
- the expected thickness of the fluid in the well is very thin (i.e., about 1.73 feet). This thickness is smaller than the maximum values observed in the monitoring wells during accumulation of the fluid in the groundwater zone, but is larger than the values in MW1 (0.81 feet) and MW2 (1.30 feet) just prior to the start of pumping.
- the average thickness of the free fluid region in the model aquifer was determined by using an ultraviolet "black light" source to locate the area of highest saturation and by using the fluid manometers to locate the area of that region where the fluid pressure was higher than atmospheric pressure.
- the thickness of the vertical column of fluid in the monitoring wells at the field site was measured 700 days after the start of pumping and was used to calculate the corresponding thickness (H m ) of fluid in the contiguous porous subsurface medium.
- H m thickness of fluid in the contiguous porous subsurface medium.
- H e is the thickness of fluid in the well bore below the base of the free fluid (fluid saturated) region, and the other parameters are as previously defined.
- the fluid/water capillary pressure was previously measured in laboratory experiments, and an average value of 6.43 cm fluid (2.53 inches of air/fluid) was used in the calculations, while a measured value of 0.869 g/cm 3 (54 lb/ft 3 ) was used for the specific gravity of fluid.
- the calculated values of fluid thickness in the porous medium were mapped. Then using linear interpolation, contours of equal thicknesses were drawn. The volume of fluid between two contours is equal to the area between the contours, times the average thickness of the fluid layer within the two contours, and adjusted for the fraction of the pore volume occupied by fluid. The fraction of the pore volume occupied by fluid is the porosity ( ⁇ ) minus the fraction of the total volume occupied by residual levels of water ( ⁇ r w). This calculation for the total volume of fluid in the zone of fluid is described by the following relationship:
- a i is the area between two adjacent contour lines and h m i is the average fluid thickness for the two contour lines.
- h m i is the average fluid thickness for the two contour lines.
- the invention prevents the flow of water into the fluid zone, thereby preventing isolation of fluid from the well bore (water mounding); controls the fluid/water interface to maintain a gradient for fluid flow toward the well bore; minimizes the spread of contamination; minimizes the volume of water removed from the soil during the process, thus reducing the amount of water needed to be treated; creates a zone of influence or gradient for fluid flow to the well (bore); and provides for automatic control by the use of sensor level and control means which detect movement of fluid and water and thereby provide through an integrated control system necessary adjustments to the pumping intervals, rates and extracted volumes.
- the recovery method of the invention may be used with surfactant and microbial based clean-up techniques.
- a spill site is restored to virtually its original condition without disturbance of subsurface medium and groundwater.
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Geology (AREA)
- Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
- Soil Sciences (AREA)
- Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
- Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
- Processing Of Solid Wastes (AREA)
Abstract
Description
H.sub.c =p.sup.o a/[(d.sub.o -d.sub.a)g] (1)
H.sub.w =p.sup.w o/[(d.sub.w -do)g] (2)
H.sub.w /H.sub.c =(p.sup.w o/p.sup.o a)[(d.sub.o -d.sub.a)/(d.sub.w -d.sub.o)] (3)
H.sub.m =H.sub.w -H.sub.e (4)
H.sup.e =p.sup.w o/[{d.sub.w -d.sub.o)g} (5)
V=(ε-θ.sub.r w) Σi (Ai×hmi) (6)
Claims (8)
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US07/758,137 US5180013A (en) | 1991-09-12 | 1991-09-12 | Method for in situ removal of a spilled fluid from soil |
US07/941,291 US5341877A (en) | 1991-09-12 | 1992-09-04 | Method and apparatus for in situ removal of a spilled fluid from the earth's subsurface |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US07/758,137 US5180013A (en) | 1991-09-12 | 1991-09-12 | Method for in situ removal of a spilled fluid from soil |
Related Child Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US07/941,291 Continuation-In-Part US5341877A (en) | 1991-09-12 | 1992-09-04 | Method and apparatus for in situ removal of a spilled fluid from the earth's subsurface |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US5180013A true US5180013A (en) | 1993-01-19 |
Family
ID=25050650
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US07/758,137 Expired - Lifetime US5180013A (en) | 1991-09-12 | 1991-09-12 | Method for in situ removal of a spilled fluid from soil |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US5180013A (en) |
Cited By (12)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5341877A (en) * | 1991-09-12 | 1994-08-30 | General Motors Corporation | Method and apparatus for in situ removal of a spilled fluid from the earth's subsurface |
US5400858A (en) * | 1993-09-13 | 1995-03-28 | International Technology Corporation | Groundwater recovery system |
WO1995032817A1 (en) * | 1994-05-31 | 1995-12-07 | Sandoz Ltd. | Groundwater recovery systems |
US5474685A (en) * | 1994-02-14 | 1995-12-12 | Breslin; Michael K. | Apparatus and method for detecting and recovering immiscible liquids of different densities |
US5560737A (en) * | 1995-08-15 | 1996-10-01 | New Jersey Institute Of Technology | Pneumatic fracturing and multicomponent injection enhancement of in situ bioremediation |
WO1997003394A1 (en) * | 1995-07-13 | 1997-01-30 | Itt Industries Limited | Liquid level control system |
US5628364A (en) * | 1995-12-04 | 1997-05-13 | Terrane Remediation, Inc. | Control system for governing in-situ removal of subterranean hydrocarbon-based fluids |
US5944446A (en) * | 1992-08-31 | 1999-08-31 | Golder Sierra Llc | Injection of mixtures into subterranean formations |
EP1526764A1 (en) * | 1998-06-25 | 2005-05-04 | Soil Air Technology LLC | Subsurface soil conditioning process |
US20070106446A1 (en) * | 2005-02-11 | 2007-05-10 | Honeywell International Inc. | Method and system using tire stretch data to control braking |
CN109025924A (en) * | 2018-05-08 | 2018-12-18 | 中国海洋石油集团有限公司 | Oil saturation dynamic monitoring platform based on microcosmic petrographic thin section |
JP2021037433A (en) * | 2019-08-30 | 2021-03-11 | 大成建設株式会社 | Suction/feed device used in polluted soil multistage purification |
Citations (17)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1499589A (en) * | 1923-08-27 | 1924-07-01 | Navin Frank | Method and apparatus for extracting oil from wells |
US1530221A (en) * | 1924-05-21 | 1925-03-17 | Lester C Uren | Process and apparatus for increasing the recovery of petroleum from wells |
US2349062A (en) * | 1942-03-27 | 1944-05-16 | Texas Co | Method and apparatus for graveling wells |
US2855047A (en) * | 1955-08-03 | 1958-10-07 | Texas Co | Producing petroleum from underground formations |
US2923356A (en) * | 1957-07-01 | 1960-02-02 | Pan American Petroleum Corp | Plugging water and gas zones of wells |
US2978024A (en) * | 1957-12-12 | 1961-04-04 | Texaco Inc | Method of gravel packing well treatment |
US3057404A (en) * | 1961-09-29 | 1962-10-09 | Socony Mobil Oil Co Inc | Method and system for producing oil tenaciously held in porous formations |
US3066732A (en) * | 1959-12-23 | 1962-12-04 | Shell Oil Co | Production of crude oil |
US3638731A (en) * | 1970-08-17 | 1972-02-01 | Amoco Prod Co | Multiple producing intervals to suppress coning |
US3642066A (en) * | 1969-11-13 | 1972-02-15 | Electrothermic Co | Electrical method and apparatus for the recovery of oil |
US4016930A (en) * | 1975-10-23 | 1977-04-12 | Arnold James F | Oil well producing method and system |
US4583594A (en) * | 1981-08-04 | 1986-04-22 | Bozidar Kojicic | Double walled screen-filter with perforated joints |
US4625807A (en) * | 1985-06-14 | 1986-12-02 | Harlow Delmont E | Method and apparatus for recovery of water-immiscible liquids from water-bearing formations |
US4730672A (en) * | 1987-03-04 | 1988-03-15 | Midwest Water Resource, Inc. | Method of removing and controlling volatile contaminants from the vadose layer of contaminated earth |
US4746423A (en) * | 1986-09-15 | 1988-05-24 | R. E. Wright Associates | In-well pump skimmer |
USRE33102E (en) * | 1984-01-04 | 1989-10-31 | The Upjohn Company | Removal of volatile contaminants from the vadose zone of contaminated ground |
US4934458A (en) * | 1988-03-10 | 1990-06-19 | Warburton James G | Small diameter dual pump pollutant recovery system |
-
1991
- 1991-09-12 US US07/758,137 patent/US5180013A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (17)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1499589A (en) * | 1923-08-27 | 1924-07-01 | Navin Frank | Method and apparatus for extracting oil from wells |
US1530221A (en) * | 1924-05-21 | 1925-03-17 | Lester C Uren | Process and apparatus for increasing the recovery of petroleum from wells |
US2349062A (en) * | 1942-03-27 | 1944-05-16 | Texas Co | Method and apparatus for graveling wells |
US2855047A (en) * | 1955-08-03 | 1958-10-07 | Texas Co | Producing petroleum from underground formations |
US2923356A (en) * | 1957-07-01 | 1960-02-02 | Pan American Petroleum Corp | Plugging water and gas zones of wells |
US2978024A (en) * | 1957-12-12 | 1961-04-04 | Texaco Inc | Method of gravel packing well treatment |
US3066732A (en) * | 1959-12-23 | 1962-12-04 | Shell Oil Co | Production of crude oil |
US3057404A (en) * | 1961-09-29 | 1962-10-09 | Socony Mobil Oil Co Inc | Method and system for producing oil tenaciously held in porous formations |
US3642066A (en) * | 1969-11-13 | 1972-02-15 | Electrothermic Co | Electrical method and apparatus for the recovery of oil |
US3638731A (en) * | 1970-08-17 | 1972-02-01 | Amoco Prod Co | Multiple producing intervals to suppress coning |
US4016930A (en) * | 1975-10-23 | 1977-04-12 | Arnold James F | Oil well producing method and system |
US4583594A (en) * | 1981-08-04 | 1986-04-22 | Bozidar Kojicic | Double walled screen-filter with perforated joints |
USRE33102E (en) * | 1984-01-04 | 1989-10-31 | The Upjohn Company | Removal of volatile contaminants from the vadose zone of contaminated ground |
US4625807A (en) * | 1985-06-14 | 1986-12-02 | Harlow Delmont E | Method and apparatus for recovery of water-immiscible liquids from water-bearing formations |
US4746423A (en) * | 1986-09-15 | 1988-05-24 | R. E. Wright Associates | In-well pump skimmer |
US4730672A (en) * | 1987-03-04 | 1988-03-15 | Midwest Water Resource, Inc. | Method of removing and controlling volatile contaminants from the vadose layer of contaminated earth |
US4934458A (en) * | 1988-03-10 | 1990-06-19 | Warburton James G | Small diameter dual pump pollutant recovery system |
Cited By (16)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5341877A (en) * | 1991-09-12 | 1994-08-30 | General Motors Corporation | Method and apparatus for in situ removal of a spilled fluid from the earth's subsurface |
US5944446A (en) * | 1992-08-31 | 1999-08-31 | Golder Sierra Llc | Injection of mixtures into subterranean formations |
US5400858A (en) * | 1993-09-13 | 1995-03-28 | International Technology Corporation | Groundwater recovery system |
US5452765A (en) * | 1993-09-13 | 1995-09-26 | International Technology Corporation | Groundwater recovery system |
US5474685A (en) * | 1994-02-14 | 1995-12-12 | Breslin; Michael K. | Apparatus and method for detecting and recovering immiscible liquids of different densities |
US5639380A (en) * | 1994-05-31 | 1997-06-17 | Misquitta; Neale J. | System for automating groundwater recovery controlled by monitoring parameters in monitoring wells |
WO1995032817A1 (en) * | 1994-05-31 | 1995-12-07 | Sandoz Ltd. | Groundwater recovery systems |
WO1997003394A1 (en) * | 1995-07-13 | 1997-01-30 | Itt Industries Limited | Liquid level control system |
US5560737A (en) * | 1995-08-15 | 1996-10-01 | New Jersey Institute Of Technology | Pneumatic fracturing and multicomponent injection enhancement of in situ bioremediation |
US5628364A (en) * | 1995-12-04 | 1997-05-13 | Terrane Remediation, Inc. | Control system for governing in-situ removal of subterranean hydrocarbon-based fluids |
EP1526764A1 (en) * | 1998-06-25 | 2005-05-04 | Soil Air Technology LLC | Subsurface soil conditioning process |
EP1526764A4 (en) * | 1998-06-25 | 2005-08-24 | Soil Air Technology Llc | Subsurface soil conditioning process |
US20070106446A1 (en) * | 2005-02-11 | 2007-05-10 | Honeywell International Inc. | Method and system using tire stretch data to control braking |
CN109025924A (en) * | 2018-05-08 | 2018-12-18 | 中国海洋石油集团有限公司 | Oil saturation dynamic monitoring platform based on microcosmic petrographic thin section |
CN109025924B (en) * | 2018-05-08 | 2024-04-05 | 中国海洋石油集团有限公司 | Oil saturation dynamic monitoring platform based on microcosmic rock slice |
JP2021037433A (en) * | 2019-08-30 | 2021-03-11 | 大成建設株式会社 | Suction/feed device used in polluted soil multistage purification |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US3199592A (en) | Method and apparatus for producing fresh water or petroleum from underground reservoir formations and to prevent coning | |
US5161914A (en) | Slotted extraction trench remediation system | |
US5180013A (en) | Method for in situ removal of a spilled fluid from soil | |
USRE33102E (en) | Removal of volatile contaminants from the vadose zone of contaminated ground | |
US5709505A (en) | Vertical isolation system for two-phase vacuum extraction of soil and groundwater contaminants | |
US5335732A (en) | Oil recovery combined with injection of produced water | |
US5588490A (en) | Method and system to achieve two dimensional air sparging | |
Semer et al. | TECHNICAL NOTE An experimental investigation of air flow patterns in saturated soils during air sparging | |
US5341877A (en) | Method and apparatus for in situ removal of a spilled fluid from the earth's subsurface | |
Brown | Treatment of petroleum hydrocarbons in ground water by air sparging | |
Abdul et al. | Limitations of monitoring wells for the detection and quantification of petroleum products in soils and aquifers | |
Van Geel et al. | The importance of fluid entrapment, saturation hysteresis and residual saturations on the distribution of a lighter-than-water non-aqueous phase liquid in a variably saturated sand medium | |
US5316085A (en) | Environmental recovery system | |
AU725421B2 (en) | Groundwater recovery system | |
US5509757A (en) | Fluid extraction device | |
WO1995008043A1 (en) | Groundwater recovery system | |
US2749988A (en) | Gravel pack well completion method | |
Panday et al. | A three-dimensional multiphase flow model for assessing NAPL contamination in porous and fractured media, 2. Porous medium simulation examples | |
US7300227B2 (en) | Recovery of non-aqueous phase liquids from ground sources | |
Catalan et al. | Application of gravity drainage to the recovery of residual LNAPL in homogeneous and lensed sand packs | |
US5575589A (en) | Apparatus and method for removing volatile contaminants from phreatic water | |
Abdul | A new pumping strategy for petroleum product recovery from contaminated hydrogeologic systems: Laboratory and field evaluations | |
US4019576A (en) | Oil recovery from an oil-water well | |
US4826406A (en) | Pressure extraction pump system for recovering liquid hydrocarbons from ground water | |
US5611402A (en) | Method of in-situ remediation of volatile contaminants from soils and/or rock |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION A CORP. OF DELAWARE, Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:ABDUL, ABDUL S.;REEL/FRAME:005849/0806 Effective date: 19910905 |
|
STCF | Information on status: patent grant |
Free format text: PATENTED CASE |
|
FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 4 |
|
FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 8 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, MICHIGAN Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:GENERAL MOTORS CORPORARION;REEL/FRAME:014892/0577 Effective date: 20031015 |
|
FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 12 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, DISTRICT Free format text: SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNOR:GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:022191/0254 Effective date: 20081231 Owner name: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY,DISTRICT Free format text: SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNOR:GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:022191/0254 Effective date: 20081231 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECU Free format text: SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNOR:GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:022552/0006 Effective date: 20090409 Owner name: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SEC Free format text: SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNOR:GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:022552/0006 Effective date: 20090409 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: MOTORS LIQUIDATION COMPANY (F/K/A GENERAL MOTORS C Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY;REEL/FRAME:023119/0491 Effective date: 20090709 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: MOTORS LIQUIDATION COMPANY (F/K/A GENERAL MOTORS C Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNORS:CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES;CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES;REEL/FRAME:023119/0817 Effective date: 20090709 Owner name: MOTORS LIQUIDATION COMPANY, MICHIGAN Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:023129/0236 Effective date: 20090709 Owner name: MOTORS LIQUIDATION COMPANY,MICHIGAN Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:023129/0236 Effective date: 20090709 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY, MICHIGAN Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MOTORS LIQUIDATION COMPANY;REEL/FRAME:023148/0248 Effective date: 20090710 Owner name: GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY,MICHIGAN Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MOTORS LIQUIDATION COMPANY;REEL/FRAME:023148/0248 Effective date: 20090710 |